1
FOR PRESS: P. M. NO. 82/ 1969
RE-APPOINTMENT OF SIR ALEXANDER DOWNER
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. John Gorton
Sir Alexander Downer, K. B. has been re-appointed
as High Commissioner for Australia in Britain for a further term until
24 October 1970. Sir Alexander was appointed as High Commissioner
on 25 October 1964 for a period of five years.
I am grateful to Sir Alexander for agreeing to this
extension of his appointment in a position in which he has served
Australia with great distinction.
CANBERRA
24 November 1969

FOR PRESS: P. M. No. 81/ 1969
FURTHER DROUGHT ASSISTANCE TO QUEENSLAND
The Prime Minister announced today a further important
measure of relief for drought stricken farmers in Queensland.
Mr. Gorton said that the Premier had advised him that, with
the increasing severity of the drought, many hard hit primary producers
will find difficulty in meeting the Crown rentals on their land and their
local authority rates.
Recognising that neither the State Government nor the local
authorities can suffer a loss of revenue by deferring or remitting these

FOR PRESS: P. M. No. 80/ 1969
PREMIERS' CONFERENCE ON RECEIPTS DUTY TAX
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. John Gorton
The purpose of today's meeting was to discuss the
problem posed by the recent decision of the High Court regarding
the validity of the receipts duty tax levied by the States.
It is the intention of the States, in order to obtain a
definite and final decision, to take another case to the High Court
to decide whether this tax is still held to be invalid in some or all
circumstances. Both the States and the Commonwealth hope that in

FOR PRESS: P. M. No. 79/ 1969
IN~ TERIM COUNCIL FOR A NATIONAL FILM
AND TELEVISION TRAINING SCHOOL
Statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. John Gorton
Earlier this year ( on 13 August), I announced that the
Government had accepted the recommendation of the Australian Council for
the Arts that an Interim Council be established to investigate and report on
the form and location of a National Film and Television Training School.
I have invited the following persons, who have accepted my
invitation, to become members of the Interim Council:-

DECLARATION OF HIGGINS POLL
Speech by the Prime Minister, Mr. John Gorton NOVEMER 1969
The first thing I would like to do is to express my gratitude
to the electors of Higgins for the majority they gave me. I also want to
express my gratitude to all those who worked so hard during the eleCtion
campaign, manning booths, sending out literature and doing all the work
required for a successful election. I thank you very much indeed for that
and I pledge that I will try to be a representative in the new Parliament
worthy of your work and support.

PRESS CONFERENCE GIVEN BY THE PRIME MINISTER,
MR JOHN GORTON AT SHERATON MOTOR HOTEL;
MELBOURNE. 24 OCTOBER 1969
PM: P'am always happy when Gallup Polls are runiiing for rather
than against. I can only repeat what I said previously that the real
poll we are interested in is the poll on Saturday the
Q. Would you care to forecast the election outcome, Mr Gorton?
' PM: I wouldn't like to forecast by how many seats we will win it,
but I don't think there is any doubt but that we will win it. The only

EMBARGO: 8. 30 p. m. on 22 October 1969 FINAL PARTY TV INTERVIEW
1969 FEDERAL ELECTION
TELEVISION INTERVIEW GIVEN BY THE PRIME MINISTER,
MR. JOHN GORTON, FOR ABC TELEVISION NETWCRK
Interviewer: Mr. George Wilson
Q. First, Prime Minister, how successful do you think you
have been in your attempt to make foreign affairs and defence the main
issues in this election?
PM. Foreign affairs and defence are the main issues in this
election. It is not a matter of my attempt to make them so. They are

EMBARGO: 8. 50 p. m. on 21 October 1969 PARTY TV INTERVIEW NO. 3
1969 FEDERAL ELECTION
TELEVISION INTERVIEW GIVEN BY THE
PRIME MINISTER, MR. JOHN GORTON, FOR
ABC TELEVISION NETWCRK
Interviewer: Mr. Patrick Tennison
Q. Prime Minister, the Labor Party says domestic issues
are the main point in this election. Do you agree?
PM. The Labor Party would like Australians to think that
because they don't want Australians to consider their complete lack
of any foreign affairs or defence policy at all. The real issue at this

EMBARGO: 7. 15 p. m. on 20 October RADIO TALK NO. 4
1969 FEDERAL ELECTION
TALK GIVEN BY THE PRIME MINISTER,
MR. JOHN GORTON, OVER ABC NETWORK
ON MONDAY 20 OCTOBER
Good evening. What do you see as the needs of Australia
in the years ahead? What do you see of the opportunities for Australia
in the exciting 1970' s we are just entering? How do you believe we
can make the most of these opportunities and satisfy these needs? I
see it this way. I believe that if we are to grow at the rate that history

EMBARGO: 9.30 P. M. ON SUNDAY 19 OCTOBER 1969
" THIS WEEK"
TELEVISION INTERVIEW GIVEN BY THE
PRIME MINISTER, MR. JOHN GORTON, ON
CHANNEL 7, MELBOURNE
Recorded on 16 October for release on 19 October
Interviewers: John Boland and John Fitzgerald
Q. Prime Minister, what is your reaction to the latest
Gallup Poll figures favouring Labor?
PM. Well, one is always much happier when the Gallup
Polls are running in one's favour than when they are running against
one, and at the momen?, the Gallup Polls are running against one.